The Economic Research Center presented the report on its 2007 programme and financial activities at “Irshad” hotel. Approximately 50 representatives of state agencies, local and international NGOs, international financial and donor organisations, foreign embassies, as well as the mass media, participated in this conference.

Member of Advisory Board Azer Mehtiyev noted that ERC is one of the first NGOs in Azerbaijan to report about its activities to society: “The Economic Research Center ensures transparency in its activities. At the same time, the research projects of this organisation into changes in the social-economic sphere in Azerbaijan that have been running since 2003 are intended to achieve transparency in the governance system of the country.”

Making a detailed presentation on the annual activities of the organisation, Chairman of the Board of ERC Gubad Ibadoglu expressed his sincere gratitude to the Budapest office of the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation for the success achieved in the institutional sphere of the organisation: “ We have achieved sustainable success during 2007 in the institutional sphere of the organisation. ERC has formulated a proper management structure appropriate to international standards for the first time in Azerbaijani civil society. This includes the formation of the Advisory Board, Management Board and departments for particular areas of work. At the same time, the new structural methodology has been applied in staffing – Human Resources Manager, Quality Control Officer, External Communications Officer and Public Relations Manager positions have been founded. Each of them implements modern standards in their field.”

G.Ibadoglu went on to report that ERC co-operates with 80 municipalities in five regions of Azerbaijan: “We aid municipalities in budget design and achievement of public participation in the budget process. One of the most significant results of the work carried out in this sphere is the creation and implementation of a web calculator, calculating taxes to be paid to municipalities by citizens of the municipality.”

Speaking about the ”Alternative Inflation Methodology Development” project implemented successfully with the financial support of USAID during 2007, the ERC Chairman emphasized the creation in particular of a web calculator for calculation of the inflation rate. After the presentation, G.Ibadoglu answered the questions of guests and media representatives. He reported that during 2007, the salary costs of ERC on projects implemented by the organisation exceeded AZN 100,000 (USD 118,400): “ERC consists of 45 personnel working both as staff and on external contracts. Over AZN 27,000 has been paid to the state budget and AZN 26,000 to the State Social Protection Fund during 2007.”

Representative of the Civil Society project of USAID Vagif Hasanov, Executive Director of OSI-Assistance Fund Baku office Farda Asadov, representative of CHF Ziba Guliyeva and representative of “Oxfam GB” International Humanitarian Organisation Zahir Ahmadov, expressed their strong appreciation of the report of ERC, and reiterated their interest in continuous co-operation with the organisation.